{"title":"Does Universal Preschool Hit the Target?","authors":"Elizabeth U. Cascio","doi":"10.3368/jhr.58.3.0220-10728R1","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This study examines the cost efficacy of universal programs, taking advantage of the rich diversity in rules governing access to state-funded preschool in the United States. Using age-eligibility rules for identification, I find that attending a state-funded universal preschool generates substantial immediate test score gains, particularly for low-income children. Gains for low-income children from attending targeted (largely means-tested) preschool are significantly smaller. Cross-state differences in alternative care options, demographics, and other program features cannot explain the difference in attendance impacts across program types. Benefit-to-cost ratios of universal programs are favorable despite their relatively high costs per low-income child.","PeriodicalId":48346,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Human Resources","volume":"58 1","pages":"1 - 42"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3000,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Human Resources","FirstCategoryId":"96","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.58.3.0220-10728R1","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
ABSTRACT This study examines the cost efficacy of universal programs, taking advantage of the rich diversity in rules governing access to state-funded preschool in the United States. Using age-eligibility rules for identification, I find that attending a state-funded universal preschool generates substantial immediate test score gains, particularly for low-income children. Gains for low-income children from attending targeted (largely means-tested) preschool are significantly smaller. Cross-state differences in alternative care options, demographics, and other program features cannot explain the difference in attendance impacts across program types. Benefit-to-cost ratios of universal programs are favorable despite their relatively high costs per low-income child.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Human Resources is among the leading journals in empirical microeconomics. Intended for scholars, policy makers, and practitioners, each issue examines research in a variety of fields including labor economics, development economics, health economics, and the economics of education, discrimination, and retirement. Founded in 1965, the Journal of Human Resources features articles that make scientific contributions in research relevant to public policy practitioners.